Touchy subject

It's been 20 years since the Chinese government decriminalized homosexuality -- and 16 years since it was declassified as a mental disorder.

But talk of gender identity and sexual orientation is still a touchy subject, especially among families.

According to a 2016 study by the UN Development Program, only 17% of China's LGBT population -- lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender -- have come out to their families, and just 5% are open at their school or workplace.

"They just stay silent when people ask questions about my personal life. I'm not sure if they can deal with the pressure brought on by society," she says.

Chao has also had friends suggest she go back to living as a man. Chao says she was once detained by security guards after using the ladies' restroom in a Beijing shopping mall. The cleaning lady reported her and called her a "pervert," she recalls.

Chao Xiaomi sits on a toilet with a toliet paper roll, which says "No embarrassment in bathroom and be convenient for everyone," to advocate establishing gender-friendly bathrooms in China (photo on left). Credit: courtesy chao xiaomi

Chinese law does allow people to change their gender on ID cards but only for those who have undertaken sex reassignment surgery -- something Chao isn't ready to do yet.

Dress for success

Chao owns a vintage dress shop in Beijing's ancient Drum Tower area. She shot to fame after appearing on a debate program on Chinese TV last year to defend LGBT people and their rights.

"I love her elegant appearance, which attracts people who aren't aware of the issues, and more importantly I love her self-respect," said Qian He, who became a fan of Chao after seeing her on the debate program -- and traveled more than 1,200 kilometers from her home in Hangzhou to visit her in Beijing.

1/9

In Mongolia, gay, lesbian and transsexual people endure violence, discrimination and social repression, which leads many of them to dream of life away from its borders. The community draws from a variety of social classes and professions -- teachers, social workers, tour guides -- but what they all have in common is a life of solitude and constant concealment of their true identity. Being revealed as transgender can cost a person their job, and lead their family to sever all ties with them.

Spanish photographer Alvaro Laiz spent three and a half months documenting the lives of male to female transgender people in Ulaanbaatar, intrigued by how they saw themselves in the larger fiber of society. "I decided to travel to Mongolia because it's located in the junction in between three different worlds -- Russia, Europe and China, while still retaining its own identity," says Laiz. "The country is facing sudden changes after opening their borders to Western investment, but on the other hand, their nomadic and communist heritage still remains. It is this duplicity in their contemporary time that fascinated me," he explains.

And it's that kind of more open attitude Chao hopes she can encourage others to have when it comes to LGBT issues.

But LGBT activists say there's still a long way to go in educating much of China's conservative society.

"People's don't pay much attention to them or even acknowledge their existence," said Xin Ying, from Beijing LGBT Center. "Every sexual minority who has attended our organization's activities tells me going to a public toilet is a nightmare."

'Edge of society'

Although Chao has come out to her parents, she says they face pressure from others who aren't aware, and her parents are constantly questioned why their son is still single. Most of Chao's former classmates are married with children.

Friends of Chao's parents have even tried to set her up on blind dates with women, but she tells them she'd rather focus on building her career than having a relationship.

"They tell me 'you can't be so selfish. Your parents are waiting to hold a grandchild in their arms,'" she explains.

But Chao says she's not afraid of the tough road ahead -- and she's using her vintage clothing shop to help other LGBT people -- hiring some to work in the store, and donating a portion of her income to LBGT support groups.

"We live at the edge of the society, but we are also willing to stand in the sunshine," she says.